Legacy of Darkness
by CantinaTalkshow
Summary: This story picks up after the book Darth Bane Dynasty of evil and continues with the story of Zannah and Cognos
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Darth Cognus stared down at the jumble of wires and metal plates that were the beginning of her lightsaber. Before she started training with Darth Zannah a year earlier, she had assumed that the lightsaber was the main weapon of the Sith. However, here she was one year later after becoming a sith, just now receiving permission to even begin building the weapon. Darth Zannah reminded her nearly everyday that the main weapon of the sith is the force. However one benefit of having to wait so long is that she had time to think about how she would personalize her weapon. As she fumbled with the beginnings of her lightsaber hilt she thought back to how she had come to train with Zannah...

It started back when she was still an assassin called the Huntress. A woman named Lucia hired her to assassinate the rebel leaders on the mining planet Doan, who killed prince Gerran of the royal family. A few days after successfully completing her mission, Lucia contacted her again and told her she had a job for her, and to meet her on Ambria. As the Huntress she was known for being able to track her target through visions from the force, showing where they had been, and where they were going, despite the fact that she had no formal training. When she met Lucia at a camp on Ambria, she found out Lucia was the personal bodyguard and close friend of the princess of Doan. Serra, the princess was married to prince Gerran before he was killed. Serra told her this was the camp where she lived with her father Caleb. Caleb was a skilled healer who used the force and his knowledge of natural remedies and medicines to heal the sick and injured. Although it was Darth Zannah who killed him, Serra believed it was her master Darth Bane. Using the force, Cognus tracked Bane to his estate on Ciutric IV...

Suddenly, Cognus sensed something that snapped her out of her flashback. In her time training on Ciutric IV, she had become very skilled at sensing the future, her present surroundings, and dangers. Her comlink beeped and she heard her master "Come to the library I have something important to tell you" Cognus reluctantly left her unfinished lightsaber and began walking through the mansion to the library.

…..

Zannah sat in the enormous library waiting for Cognus and admiring the ancient books her old master Darth Bane had collected. They had lived in hiding at the mansion for so long while he trained her. And now here she was, waiting to assign her new apprentice her first official mission. Cognus entered the room

"You summoned me master "? Zannah sensed a hint of annoyance in Cognus, but this had nothing to do with the force, Cognus was just bad at hiding her emotions from Zannah.

"Yes. How is your lightsaber coming?" Zannah felt the annoyance in Cognus rise. Cognus knew she was being mocked for being so eager to finish her weapon and was aggravated. Zannah saw the annoyance on Cognus's face and no further tried to bother her.

" I have a mission for you." Cognus' annoyance immediately disappeared and turned into excitement. Although Zannah could sense this excitement, Cognus showed little emotion. This did not surprise Zannah, Cognus was previously a very skilled assassin and could control her emotions when she wanted to, thus giving her potential as an excellent sith.

"I need you to go to Honoghr and track down a man named Node Kenar, he has information we need." Cognus knew better than to ask what they needed, she would find out when she needed to. Zannah continued

" You must leave as soon as possible, we don't know how long this man will be on Honoghr, I found out only today from an anonymous source."

"My lightsaber isn't finished. Can I take Darth Bane's?"

"No, Bane's Lightsaber is for training only. Also this is a test as well as a mission, the only weapon you may take is the force." Cognus knew discussion was over and there was no point arguing. She normally would have gathered her weapons in preperation but instead she reluctantly passed her room where her incomplete lightsaber sat waiting to be finished. Because of Zannah's "no weapon rule" Cognus headed straight to the hanger where her shuttle, "the Stalker" awaited her. It was the same ship she used when she was known as Huntress. Climbing up to the cockpit she wondered what information Zannah needed from this man. Cognus knew the mission wasn't for training only, Zannah would not have her capture someone for no reason.

By this time Cognus was seated in the cockpit and had set the coordinance for Honoghr and was about to make the jump to hyperspace. While traveling through space Cognus picked up a datapad and started reading about Honoghr. Cognus had been to Honoghr once before but she was not able to explore because she had time only to refuel her ship. Reading her data pad, Cognus learned that at one point Honoghr contained a sith training temple and was home to many bodyguards and assassins.

" I'll fit right in." She thought. She began to drift back into her memories...

Huntress tracked Bane to his estate on Ciutric IV. With the assistance of twenty mercenaries Serra had hired to help her, Huntress captured Darth Bane and took him to the stone prison on Doan as Serra requested. When they arrived at the prison, the Huntress watched as Serra interrogated and tortured Bane. The Huntress was impressed at how well Bane could resist the effects and get inside Serra's head. When Bane escaped his cell and the stone prison was set to explode,Cognus escaped to the hanger. When she reached the Stalker her instincts told her it would benefit her to wait. While she was waiting, she fought a mysterious man named Set Harth, who escaped in his own ship. After beginning her training with Zannah, Cognus asked her if she knew who he was. To her surprised, Zannah did. Zannah told her he was a dark jedi who she recruited to be her apprentice, but was not interested in ruling the galaxy. All he cared about was himself, making him unworthy to be a sith. But he was still a dangerous man, and Cognus was told to notify Zannah if she ever saw or heard from him. It seemed to Cognus that Zannah had been somewhat paranoid about him ever since. After he escaped Cognus continued to wait, and eventually, Darth Bane came. The Huntress surrendered to Bane and offered to help him escape if he would teach her the way of the sith. Bane accepted her offer and they left for Ambria. When they got there, Zannah met Bane and challenged him for the title of master. Cognus was told not to interfere and she was to serve whoever won. Zannah killed Bane and Cognus's training began.

The Stalker suddenly came out of hyperspace and headed for Honoghr. Cognus picked up her data pad and looked at the information Zannah had sent her and flew toward the planet.

…..

Master Kraft's ship landed at the Jedi Temple on the moon Alaris Prime and stepped outside and took a breath of non-recycled oxygen. Two young Jedi-probably Jedi Knights-came forward and bowed. Kraft nodded and the Jedi arose and escorted Kraft to the entrance of the temple.

As they walked towards the temple he surveyed the damage. Kraft saw little damage. The attempted theft was a month and a half ago, and Kraft was just now coming to the temple. Although he did not see much, he saw more than most people. He was a Keshian having a basic human appearance, but having eyesight much better than humans. The three Jedi entered the grand temple used for storing both Jedi and Sith artifacts. Inside the temple there was another Jedi slightly older than the two that had met him outside. Along with the Jedi there were two masked guards that made no attempt to greet Kraft. " It's been a long time master" The Jedi said walking toward Kraft. "Yes it has Kabe" Kraft returned shaking the Tholothians hand. " It is good to see you, although I wish our meeting was for a better occasion." Kraft remarked as they began walking down the long hall. " I have to agree with you my old master"

" Let me tell you and show you what happened, or at least what we think happened." Kabe began. As he was informing Kraft of the damage they approached a part of the wall that was being rebuilt. "There are four other areas almost exactly like this." Kabe finished as they both examined the wall.

"So this wasn't a point of entry"? Kraft asked.

" No, none of the thieves even came near any of the holes. The best we can figure is it was a distraction. It came from a ship and we sent three fighters out but only one returned with much damage and the pilot was nearly dead. After the one pilot returned we picked something up on our scanners about five miles away and sent ten guards and one Jedi. Everyone was on edge but our attention was on the air and where we picked up lifeforms. We only found out there were other people until we found six of them in breaking into the archives. They had just opened the door…"

Wait, I thought that door was highly protected, how did they get in"? Kraft interrupted.

" Yes it has a retina scanner, a handprint scanner, a key card, and not even a lightsaber could cut through it. Only three people have access." Kabe explained. "Follow me I'll show you." They continued down the hall until they came to a high-tech door. Just by glancing at it Kraft knew it would be very hard to break into.

"Did you catch the person who did it"? Kraft asked. Kabe hesitated.

" We don't think so. Only six people were seen and we caught four but two killed themselves before we could talk to them, we don't know if we caught the slicer. It is possible there were more men."

" Can I interrogate them"?

" Please do, we have not been able to get much out of them but you've always been good at that." Kabe replied leading Kraft to the detention area."

" Also I would like to talk to the pilot who survived"

" Of course. You may have to wait though, he is at the infirmary all day today and is unconscious most of the time." Kabe replied.

"From what happened a month ago"? Kraft asked very surprised.

" In a way. He survived but it was close, he doesn't have to stay at the hospital but he is required to go there twice a week." Kabe answered.

" And you said you sent out guards and one jedi. What happened to them"? Kabe hesitated before replying.

" We can talk about that later."

Kabe stopped and put his hand on a door. A light flashed green and the door slid open.

" Here we are." Kabe said gesturing to the room.

…..

Sitting before Kraft sat a toydarian bond in handcuffs and wing restraints. Previously, he had interrogated a Togruta, Weequay, and a human. He saved the Toydarian for last because Kraft knew mind tricks do not work on toydarians.

" What's your name"? Kraft began. The Toydarians name was on the datapad Kraft held but this was a test to see how cooperative he was.

" Tyv." he growled.

" How many of you broke into this temple."? Kraft continued.

"The food here stinks" Tyv spat.

"What were you trying to steal"? Kraft inquired.

"The cells are tiny here." Tyv complained.

" Maybe we can work something out if you answered my questions."

" I've heard that one before." Tyv sneered.

" So you've been in prison before"? Kraft asked, smiling to himself. This Tyv fellow was good, but Kraft new he was better.

…..

Kraft left the interrogation room fairly satisfied with his results he told Kabe what he had learned. The Toydarian had a criminal record did not work alone and lived on the planet Corellia. He told Kabe the information he got from the rest of the thieves. After leaving the room, he excused himself to his chambers. On the way to his room he passed two more places where the walls had been damaged. In his room Kraft sat down and meditated, a skill he was known for among the jedi. While meditating on things beyond where he was Kraft felt something that lasted only a second, the feeling of the Dark Side from a living organism.

"Impossible." Kraft thought aloud. He knew the sith had been erased from existence. Even sith artifacts had been collected and stored away in Jedi Temples. In fact, the main purpose of the temple he was in was to store and protect sith artifacts so the dark side would not rise again.

"One of the thieves must be force-sensitive. Or perhaps it is one of the Sith artifacts." He told himself. The problem was, he did not believe himself. He went straight to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cognus walked through Honoghr's capital city, Nystao. It wasn't a hard decision for Cognus to head for the shadier part of the city.

"Every city has one." She thought. As she entered the part of the city that was filthy and rundown. As an ex-assassin Cognus knew what she was doing and headed straight for a cantina. She put on her hood and entered the bar. She saw a group of men huddled in a corner of the bar and she sensed that she should start with them. Being an experienced assassin, Cognus knew the worst thing she could do was walk right up to them so she sat down at the bar where they were talking but keeping her distance. From where she was sitting she could only hear bits of their conversation. Most of what she heard was gossip, that she couldn't care less about. But then she heard something that made her perk up.

" He was one of the two that escaped." The information Zannah had sent her said that Node was a thief that attempted to pull off a heist. Cognus tried to hear more but a group next to her started cheering for their favorite team while watching a droid football game. Cognus gave them a glare that would scare the ears off a gundark. When she turned back around the men were leaving the cantina. Cognus picked out the man who was talking and followed him. As she was stalking the man, she examined him. He had a blaster on his left hip telling her he was left handed. Although he had a blaster he was not paranoid, not once did he look over his shoulder. Suddenly the force screamed to Cognus. The man abruptly turned, blaster in hand.

" He's quick." Cognus thought. But she was quicker and she used the force to knock the blaster out of his hand. Before he could recover from the shock of what happened Cognus was on him. She stabbed her knee into the man's stomach disabling him enough where she could throw him into an ally. There were a few people on the streets but Cognus wasn't worried, the people in the area were probably used to street fights. The man had now recovered and swung at Cognus. However he had not fully recovered so the punch was weak and Cognus was not seriously affected. She dodged his next swing and jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. That was all he could take and he slumped down unconscious. Cognus searched his pocket and found a key. One side had a 422 the other had a logo.

" This is too easy" Cognus thought as she scanned the logo on the key with her data pad. Cognus waited ten seconds before her data pad beeped informing her it had a location. She put the man's arm around her shoulder and started leading him towards the building.

…..

Zannah walked down the long hallway on her way to outside. She stared at her hand as it trembled. It had been doing so ever since Bane had attempted to essence transfer into her body. It seemed to fail but Bane had left a psychological imprint on her giving her the same trembling hand he had. She headed out the back. Zannah did not really know where she was going only that she needed to go there. She had felt the urge shortly after Bane had attempted to essence transfer into her. Her training with Cognus had prevented her from following her instinct. Also not knowing what she was going to find made wonder if Cognus needed to know. She turned left, not knowing why just that she needed to. She came to a building one that she had never seen. It was quite small, only about five meters by five meters. Beside the door was a keypad. The numbers ,four two, zero, eight, instantly appeared in her head. She typed it in and opened the door. Zannah stunned, she had never seen this building and she should not have known the code. She walked inside the building. She stopped abruptly. Feeling something she had not felt in a long time.

" Master"?

Sensing her master's presence, Zannah searched the room that appeared to be a library.

"Weird," Zannah thought aloud. However she wasn't talking about the library, the way she felt her master was not natural even for the force. It was like she sensed Bane in her.

"The essence transfer"! Zannah exclaimed. The imprint Bane left on her must have been more than a trembling hand. She could not actually hear Bane in her head she just knew what he knew. Zannah searched thru the books and admired some of the sith artifacts. She knew a countless amount of information about them even though she has never seen most of them however her master had probably studied them. She was drawn to one of the holocrons. Before she even started towards it she knew it was Bane's. She picked it up and examined it. Before she could activate it she got the feeling she needed to go back to the mansion. Still holding the holocron she headed out the door and back the way she came but then felt as if she should go the other way. By now she felt she needed to trust her … or Bane's instinct. She shortly came to the control room of the mansion. In the control room she found that Cognus had sent a transmission informing her she had arrived on Honoghr. Zannah took the holocron to the library and activated it.

"Show me your secrets"

…

"Master Kraft? Master Kraft"?

Kraft snapped out of his meditation. He had been trying to sense the feeling of the dark side he had felt the day before.

"Yes"?

"Kabe has requested to see you in the med bay." The young jedi explained.

Kraft stood up and headed for the medical bay. He had been waiting to talk to the pilot that had survived. He had been told the pilot suffered from partial memory loss. Kraft walked past the vault and felt a sharp stab to his spirit. He was feeling the dark side from the sith artifacts. This feeling was much different from the one before, this was not from a living being, but from an item that has simply been made from or infused with the Dark Side as many ancient sith did. He reached the med bay, slid his finger on the scanner, and stepped inside. Kabe was talking to a middle aged Togruta when he saw Kraft, he said something to the man then walked in toward Kraft.

"You're in luck master, Uchuv is in a good mood and seems to remember a lot"

" I have been a jedi for sixty years and throughout my experience there is no such thing as luck."

"Well than the force is with you" Kabe replied leading Kraft to the scarred pilot. He had marks up and down his arms and legs. There was a deep scar on his face that went from his lower lip to his scalp. Despite this the man seemed to be in a cheerful mood.

" Hello Master Kraft, I have been told you wanted to talk to me. I hope I can help."

"I would like to talk to you about the break-in" Kraft replied. The man's face changed and he suddenly looked pale and weak.

" You have probably been told I don't remember much.''

'' I understand'' said Kraft, '' I just need you to tell me everything you can''.

" I'll do my best"

"Good" Kraft said, " that's all I can ask for. Now let's get started"

…

Rone grabbed at weapons and clothes and anything else he thought was useful and stuffed them in a bag. He had seen a strange woman walk in to the hotel dragging his roomate along with her. He knew he shouldn't have agreed to room with him but he had to lay low and he couldn't pay in large amounts or the authorities would be suspicious, not that he had a large amount of money yet, he still had the item of interest with him and was awaiting further instructions by his mysterious employer. They would be up soon he went to the closet and unlocked the safe and pulled the _ out he took a second to admire its beauty then headed for the door. But before he could get to it there was an aggressive banging, an a strong deep voice yelled

"Open up"

No how could this happen, he accounted for everything the strange woman shouldn't be up yet, she would be slowed down by the weight of his colleague, and as a result of the broken elevator she would have to take the stairs, if his calculations were correct, which they always were she should by up for another- wait the voice that called out was the voice of a man, and that meant-

Rone threw open the door and standing in the hallway was a large zabrak.

"Come on" he said, "we need to move quickly" he lead Rone to the end of the hallway to an open window. The zabrak pushed Rone towards the window and Rone was about to protest when he heard a very faint humming. He looked down and saw a very small two seater speeder. Rone was terrified of heights but the knowledge that the woman would be coming up the flight of stairs on the other end of the hallway motivated him to lower himself in to the passenger side of the speeder. The zabrak jumped into the speeder without hesitation and initially piloted it away making sure to stay out of view of the fourth story window. Once he was far enough away for his satisfaction he turned to Rone and gave him a cockey smile.

"Hi I'm Natte"


End file.
